Descending tray drier



Oct. 4, 1932. Q, w RANDOLPH 1,881,062

DESCENDING TRAY DRIER Filed Feb. 18, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 4, 1932. o. w. RANDOLPH 1,831,052

DESCENDING TRAY DRIER Filed Feb. 18. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OQOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOO g-EJ gwuenfoz f/A a m, RA m lv Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED, STATES P TENT] OFFICE I I oLIvnn wh'aannonrx, or' rotnno, orno v Application filed February 18,1929. Serial No. 341,000. 7

This invention relates to removing moisture'f'rom bulk material, even up to a consideralble degree of coarseness for such mate- .na r

This invention has utility when incorporated in therpr'ogressing and moistur'e'removal asexposed to-heat and draft of hay,

, chopped alfalfa, vegetables,cereals, etc.

fReferring'tothe drawings Fig. 1' 'is an'elevation,

away, looking into the draft delivery side of the mstallation as adapted to the drying of coarse chopped materials or hay;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the device otFig. 1, parts being broken away;

Figi 3is a planview of a tray as progressed in thedisclosure herein. v e

'Housing l is shown as having in its upper region sprocket wheels 2'mounted on bearings 3. In this housing 1, there are below these sprocket'wheels '2, sprocket wheels, 4 mounted. in bearings 5. About these sprocket wheels 2, 4, extend endlesschains 6 carrying flights 7 I These flights as moving'in the downward reaches are located at corners of rectangular trays 8, serving to sustain such trays with their foraminous or wire cloth bottoms 9 in superposed relation. Supply means 39 as pneumatic stacker delivery spout 10 may discharge say chopped hay into hopper 11 having discharge gate 12 controllable by handie 13. The manual control of the delivery of .thematerial' from this hopper 11 into uppermost tra 8 maybe one wherein the material is spread as a layer more or less uniformly over the bottom'9 in filling the tray.

As the tray is filled, the endless belt conveyors may be released as by depressing brake bar 14 against the resistance of spring 115. This is conveniently definitely determined as to are of mo'vementin the withdrawing of dog 16 from seat 17, thereby determining a definite descent travel for the newly charged tr a K the operation of the device herein, as

draft treatment say for the removal of mois- 7 ture, warm air'duct 18 say from the furnace may have powerdriven fan 19 therein for distributing the heated gases into ducts 20, 21,

the different ducts or other lished.

with parts broken to ,duct 20 is to the underside o therebelow.

drawn by fled by car 36 .terial conditions at hand.

22. In practice, theremaybe a ratio of con- ,trol between these ducts as determined by dampers 23, Furthermore, thetemperature may be further controlled as by heating coils 24: in the ducts so that a ratio of temperature as desiredimay be adjusted for the gas as in condition estab- These hot air supply ducts 20, 21, 22, extend the ousing l at openings 25, alternately 00 between trays 8. The dischar e from the t this newly charged tray as brought to the first stage of operation in the housmg 1. Draft from this tray accordingly moves upward through the o5 foraminous bottom and the layer of material m this up er first tray in the housing, .while downwar into the material as on the tray I This delivery of the hot gases into the housing passes through one tray up- 7 ward and another-tray downward for flow off of the gas by outlets 26, 27, 28, 29, intermediate outlets being controllable by dampers 30. Accordingly, the efi'ective draft may be adjusted not only by the intake dampers 23, but by these discharge dampers 30. As the top tray is fed down position of into this first treatment, a bottom tray is withthe lowering action, in that the flights 7 pass clear thereof to deposit the so lowermost tray on inclined roller track 31 where trunnions 32 may be engaged by bail 33 and hoist line 34, operated by motor 35 as carmovable on overhead track 37. Asthus connected, the bail balances the tray. 8 as removed from the housing so that I at this discharge station a dumping of the draft treated material may occur as the tray islifted fromthe roller track 31. The lifting action bringsthe tray emptied upward and then, with the carc36 moving along the track 37, locates such car at theregionof the ho per. 11 for recharging in this closed circuit or 'the trays in this drying installation.

The distribution of the material as to bedding in the trays-in forming the layers may be uniform throughout or vary according to conditions found for bringing about the more uniform treatment underthe draft and madraft entrance way through two charge ways ward progress the only power required is that for the hoisting of the trays, the gravity of the loaded trays serving as descent control as trays as coming to the step by step manually released. The the several stations in the descent have first. upward draft then down-' ward draft therethrough. The take-off gases say as moisture laden are thus directly removedindependently of re-contaminating any treated portion of the material. Insome operations the products of combustion as well as additional supply of heated gases from the furnace may be used as high temperature treating medium hereunder;

The flights 7 areheld in approximately horizontal position by evener means herein shown as bevel gears 38 fixed with the sprocket wheels 2-. These bevel gears 38 are inmesh with bevel pinions 39 on common shaft 40 between the endless belts or sprocket chains 6. On one side of the housing 1 upon this shaft 40 is brake wheel 41 having manually controllable brake means l2 so that in any special desired lowering this may be effective when the brake 14 is out of holding relation. Additionally, for shifting or special moving in the event the equipment. is

010 ged, hand wheel 3may be operated.

s the more moist trays are at the'top and the natural direction-for hot gases is more readily upwardythe greater intensity of heat at the more moist regioiris' thus in the natural position therefor, hile' as the -material becomes drier in the lower stages and accordingl y may be more combustible, the lower temperature gases as normally supplied below, thereby automatically reduce ignition hazardsfy i I What is claimed and it is desired to secure by United Sta es Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for treating material comprising acolunm, trays spaced apart in said column, a plurality of draft entrance ways along said column between successive ndependent pairs of trays, each intermediate having upward and downward draft communication therefrom trays in said column, draft disfrom the column from between pairs of trays and alternating with said draft entranceways, and tray actuating means for "shiftingthe trays along the column relatively to saiddraft ways, said column and ways 'cio'acting for draft control flow' transversely into the column" at one. side of a tray'and out of the column at the other side of such tray,

and reversing said control at a succeeding position of said tray.

'2. Apparatus for treating material com prising a column, trays spaced apart in said column, a plurality of draft entrance ways along said column between successive indedraft entrance way having upward and downward draft communication therefrom through two trays in said column, draft discharge ways from the column from between pairs of trays and alternating with said draft entrance ways, and successive step actuating means for shifting the trays along the column from clear of one draft way to clear of a succeeding draft way, said column and ways coacting for draft control flow transversely into the column at one side of a tray and out between each alternate pair oftr'ays fromv said chamber, and controlling means for each outlet way, said column and ways coacting i for draft control flowtransversely into the column at o'n'e'ls'ide of tray and; out of the column at' the'fother side" of such tray, and reversing said control :at'a succeeding position of said tray. w

4. int drying chamber forming a column, a series of trays, mounting means for the trays in vertical pairs in the chamber, step by step actuating means forprogressing'the actuating means trays through the chamber, aplural' ty of,

draft intake passage ways between the jferent vertical pairs of said trays on one -side of Sdld Clifin'llJQl, and a ra it "o draft outletways between the i'other alternate pairs of trays on viding ways for two-direction air flow'therefrom to an outlet way, said column and ways coactiug for draftco'utrol flow transversely intoithe column atone side of a-trayaiidout of the colu'mn at 'the'othcr side of such tray, andreversing said control at a succeeding position ofsaid tray. 7 I

In a drying chamber, a series of trays,

v the opposite .side of said chamber, each latter pair of trays pro- InOtlntlIlgliNfiliS for-the traysin a vertical column in the chamber, step by step actuat ing means for progressing the trays through the column, a plurality of draft intake passage ways'for discharging a drying. medium between superimposed pairs of said trays, a plurality of draft outlet, ways thereto in two directions from 'tlieother alternate pairs of trays on the opposite side of said chamber,

and independent controllingmeans for each outlet-way, said column and ways coacting for draft control flow transversely into the column atone side of a tray and out of the column at the other side of such tray, and reversing said control at a succeeding posi I tion of said tray. pendent pairs of trays, each intermediate 6. Apparatus for drying material comprising material supporting means providing a column, step by step actuating means for the supporting means in effecting a succession of reversal in drying operation, a chamber for the supporting means, a. drying supply means, duct means having connection between the chamber and the supply means 0030b? in with the supporting means for forcing a rying medium from said supply means in an up direction through a supporting means at one step and in a down direction through said same supporting means at a succeeding step in said succession of reversals, said forcing between the steps alternating between pairs of supporting means in efiecting opposite draft direction flow from the supply through material to two supporting means,

. and draft discharge ways from the column alternating with the suppl means.

In witness whereof I a my signature.

OLIVER W. RANDOLPH. 

